Conventionally, a so-called dip-type card reader has been known in which a card is manually operated to perform reading of data recorded in a card and recording data to the card (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 11-259604). The card reader described in the Patent Literature is formed with a card passage where a card inserted into a card insertion port is passed. The card reader includes a plurality of IC contact springs structured to contact with external connection terminals of an IC chip formed on a surface of a card and a card lock member structured to prevent the card inserted into the card reader from being pulled out. The card lock member is connected with a solenoid and is turnable between a closing position where the card passage is closed and an open position where the card passage is opened. Further, the card lock member located at the closing position functions to prevent a card from being pulled out from the card reader when the external connection terminals of an IC chip formed on the card and the IC contact springs are contacted with each other to perform data communication.
In a state that a card is inserted into the card reader and the external connection terminals of an IC chip formed on the card and the IC contact springs are contacted with each other to perform data communication, if the card is pulled out from the card reader, a problem may be occurred that, for example, data to be recorded to the card are not recorded or data having been recorded in the card are erased. In order to prevent the problem, in the market, a card reader in which an inserted card can be surely prevented from being pulled out is required.